Please help me thumb my nose at Obama!

The First Iconic Photo of the Obama Administration

I have no idea how to establish any sort of foundation or charity fund-raising operation. I am very ignorant about most things, and intimidated by the idea of establishing anything.

But I have been so angry, for so long, at Barack Obama and the Democrats for dismantling the DC School Voucher program, which was an excellent school-choice solution that gave parents and students a real means of escape from the atrocious schools in Washington DC, that I have been itching for months to do something about this, that is completely outside of the government.

I want to do something to thumb my nose at the government, right now, and at the same time benefit someone else!

Here is the story:

The Senate last week all but decreed the demise of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program when it rejected, in a 55 to 42 vote, a measure that would have permitted the enrollment of new students by reauthorizing the program for another five years. Introduced by Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.), the measure was vigorously opposed by the teachers unions. Hence, only three Democrats — Mark Warner of Virginia, Dianne Feinstein of California and Bill Nelson of Florida — joined Republicans in supporting the program that has, since 2004, allowed hundreds of needy children to attend private schools instead of low-performing public schools. . . The animus toward this tiny, clearly successful program is not grounded in logic. “The real goal of education,” Ms. Feinstein said, sensibly enough, “ought to be to provide a number of different choices for youngsters, so you can see where they learn best and then enable them to be in that situation.” That’s supposed to be the philosophy of Mr. Obama’s Education Department, too, which purports to want to reward programs that work. The program has been subject to rigorous scientific study, and preliminary evaluations have shown academic gains and student improvement. But the Obama administration had shut the door on new students and didn’t lift a hand to rally support for its continuation.

“What is everybody scared of?” Ms. Feinstein asked. Sadly, the answer is no secret: Teachers unions have an outsized influence on the Democratic Party.

I have beenbeen itching for months to do something about this“>Here is what I want to do:

My blog may be small, but it has the best and most generous readers around; wouldn’t it be great if we could establish an “Anchoress Scholarship Fund for DC,” where we raise enough each year to purchase a voucher for one student? And other bloggers could do the same thing! I could imagine a Glenn Reynolds Scholarship Fund, and Althouse-Meade Scholarship Fund, the First Things First Fund for DC, the HotAir DC Scholarship Fund, the Small Dead Animals Fund, the Blogs Lucianne Loves Fund for Scholarships, the Deacon’s Bench DC Fund and Little Miss Attila Fund for Student-Warriors (the recipient might be required to identify Attila…).

Then I realized that a million bloggers creating a million funds might end up -like messy big government- being too sprawling and disorganized to be effective, accountable and measurable.

So, why not streamline the effort? Why can’t we take a page from the Soldier’s Angels and Project Valor, whereby bloggers and their readers are encouraged to fund-raise and donate to the scholarship fund under the aegis of their favorite site. The Anchoress, being a smaller site, might only be able to send one kid to a better school, while a huge site like HotAir or Malkin or Gateway Pundit might be able to help dozens. The centralized collection makes it manageable, the individual blogger effort makes it fun and competitive, and in the end thousands (perhaps millions) of people who are frustrated by a situation that has not gotten better under the guidance of government will be working together to effect real (not hopeychangey) change in a small but powerful way, while demonstrating some important truths to the whole nation: that government is not the solution to every problem – in fact it is often the lumbering impediment to solutions; that unquestioning allegiance to a political party should never trump one’s allegiance to the nation-at-large; that caricatures and stereotypes have had their day and should have no part in 21-Century American determinism.

As I said, I don’t know how to do this – my gut tells me to just install a Paypal donate button for the “Anchoress Scholarship Fund” and ask you to donate, but I’m sure there must be some legal consideration that must come first. And I doubt that it will be tax-deductible.

But I remember that after Haiti’s earthquake, Team Rubicon did not have tax-deductible status, but people still donated.

We’ve got to be able to do something like this. It can’t be that hard. And nothing would make me happier right now (and I expect nothing would make a lot of people happier) than to tell President I-will-pay-for-everything-as-long-as-it-does-not-anger-the-Unions Obama that the American people are not disposed to his controls and his forced laws, and his “have a handout” mentality.

We can give a hand up to others without his dictate, thanks very much.

It kills me -the staggering irony of a president and a party that were so offended by the idea of a “status quo” continuing in health insurance- have no problem at all with a “status quo” of failure and kowtowing to a bloated teachers unions, in perpetuity.

Man, I am loaded for bear right now. Paint my face blue and gimmee a sword, a braid and a kilt. I’m ready to go! Shall I cry “Freedom” or “The King is a Fink”?

“Remaking America,” indeed.

UPDATE: A friend write to tell me that calling this a “Help-A-Student” Fund raiser, instead of a “Thumbing Noses at Obama” event might be a better idea in the long run. Perhaps. But I’m still painting my face blue!

Related:
Watch Sen. Dianne Feinstein argue in favor of the Voucher program

Hot Air: Obama’s SecEd Manipuated School Lists to Favor Powerful